Portable umbrella



Oct. 22, 1957 J. P. JONES, JR 2,810,391

PORTABLE UMBRELLA Filed July 10, 1956 2 SheetseSheet 1 Oct. 22, 1957 J. P. JONES, JR

PORTABLE UMBRELLA 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 10, 1956 Y INVENTOR. cfa/312 fZi/zz/ Jazz d; c

Afrox/mf United States Patent O PORTABLE UMBRELLA John Paul Jones, Jr., Pottstown, Pa.

Application July 10, 1956, Serial No. 597,019

6 Claims. (Cl. 13S-20) This invention relates in general to umbrellas and in particular to portable umbrellas of the inflatable type.

Prior art umbrellas of the portable type have been subject to several disadvantages including their bulkiness `and complexity. Ideally an umbrella of this type should be as compact as possible, that is of pocket-size, and should be simple in construction. While small size has been obtained, it has generally been at the expense of relatively complex mechanisms which are expensive to manufacture and difficult to use. Portable umbrellas of the inflatable type, for example, are generally not as small as desirable and may be difficult to inate, despite the fact that their construction is complicated and expensive.

It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide an improved umbrella of the portable type which is small in size and relatively simple in construction.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved portable umbrella which is capable of being manufactured inexpensively.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an improved portable umbrella which is easily inatable and which can be deflated into a compact structure.

A portable iniiatable umbrellain accordance with the invention comprises a casing which has a valve member at one end and in which is housed a canopy which is capable of being inflated. A cover is placed over one end of the casing when the canopy is collapsed and the umbrella is not in actual use. The cover is also used as an air pump to force air into the canopy to inate it.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as t-o its organization and method of operation, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a view in perspective, approximately full size, of a portable umbrella embodying the invention;

Figures 2, 3, and 4 are cross-sectional views of a portable umbrella embodying the invention;

Figure 5 is a view in perspective on a reduced scale showing the various members comprising the canopy of a portable umbrella embodying the invention;

Figure 6 is a top view of the canopy of a portable umbrella embodying the invention; and

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like parts are indicated by the reference numerals throughout the tigures, and referring particularly to Figures l and 2, a portable umbrella embodying the invention comprises a casing or housing 10 which can be made from any suitable material such as metal, plastic or even cardboard and which has a valve member 12 at one end, and a cover 14 which is adapted to fit over the housing 10 when the umbrella is not in use. The valve 12 includes a washer 13 at one end thereof. As shown in the cross-sectional view 2,810,391 Fatented Oct. 22, 1957 ICC illustrated in Figure 2, a canopy 16 is housed within the casing 10 and is secured to the casing 10 by means of a retaining ring 18 at the end of the casing 10 remote from the valve 12. 'Ihe canopy is folded within the casing 10 in its stored state and is adapted to be folded on itself into the casing. It is evident from a consideration of Figures l and 2 that in its collapsed and storage form an umbrella embodying the invention is extremely compact.

Referring to Figure 3, the handle or cover 14 has been removed and has been placed over the other or valve end of the housing 10. In this position the canopy 16 is exposed to the air at one end and adapted to be inflated at the other. It is to be noted that the size of the housing 10 and cover 14 lare selected so that a relatively loose t results when the cover 14 is placed over the valve end of the housing 10. Inflation of the canopy is accomplished by the pump action of the cover 14 as it is manually moved back and forth to force air through the valve 12. The air which is so forced, under pressure, into the housing 10 inflates the canopy 16 as shown to form a dish shaped umbrella. It is also to be noted that the leakage of air around the housing 10 and cover 14 will not impair the action of pump during the rapid forward pump stroke. At the same time, air is permitted to ll the pump chamber between the housing 10 and the cover 14 during the slower return stroke.

Pressure from the inside of the housing 10 will hold the valve washer 13 tightly against the end of the housing and seals the unit as long as desired. After the canopy 16 has been inflated, the cover 14 will normally remain in the pumping position while the umbrella is being used'. This reduces the chances of the cover being lost and protects the valve from accidental jarrings which would release the air. When the canopy is to be deflated and restored in the housing, the valve 12 is held in the depressed position as'shown in Figure 4. This releases the air and the then limp canopy can be stuffed back into the housing 1?. This will exhaust whatever air remains in the canopy.

Constructional details of an umbrella embodying the invention are illustrated in Figures 5, 6, and 7 reference to which is now made. The views shown in these three figures, it should be understood, are on a reduced scale. The canopy includes a thin sheet 20 of the general form illustrated in Figure 5, and made from a suitable plastic material which is heat sealed in place with a circular thin sheet 22 which is of substantially the same diameter as the sheet 20. The heat sealed joints are shown by the dashed lines 24 in Figure 6. The retaining ring 18 is sealed between the sheets 20 and 22 and a reinforcing disc 28, also made of suitable plastic material, is heat sealed in place with the sheet 22. The upper sheet 20 is formed from a thinner material than the sheet 22 so that the inflated canopy assumes a dish-like shape as shown more' clearly in Figure 7, which is a cross-sectional View of the inflated umbrella taken along the line 7 7 in Figure 6.

A portable inflatable umbrella embodying the invention is small in size and simple in construction. A minimum number of parts are required, making the umbrella relatively inexpensive to manufacture. Moreover, umbrellas in accordance with this invention are easily inflated and deflated and readily adapted for immediate use. In addition, the drying-out process of most prior art umbrellas is eliminated since the canopy can be placed into the Vhousing immediately after use. Thus, improved umbrellas embodying this invention are characterized by simplicity,

small size, economy of manufacture, and convenience of use.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable umbrella comprising a casing, means providing a valve in one end of said casing, an inflatable canopy supported at the opposite end of said casing and radapted to be housed within said casing when in a de- Y 3 fltedco'nditi'on, anda "cover member for enclosing said opposite `end of said casing when said canopy is vdellated and for engaging said Lone end of said casing to form an air pump therewith to force air through saidv valve into saidicanopyfforinationthcreof. A

32. 'A portable in-a'ta'ble umbrella-comprising ia casing open at one end, means fproviding'a valvein thefotherend of said casingfan inflatable canopy supported at-saidV one endof Asaid casing and having-aniopening-discharginginto the interior `ofsaid`c`a'sirrg, and ja cover member closed vat one-end and 'openat-"the'other'end 4and adapted to Aenclose said oneend of-said casingwhensaid canopyis' i'n a-deflated condition andstored within -said casing, said cover "member |being removable from saidon'e 'endbf said casing and adapted 2 to enclose y'the 'other en'd v4o'fr'said casng to provide Vwherlfrnoved a-pumpingV action to vtorce air 'through said-valve and said canopy openingfor inating saidfc'ano'py.

3. AA 'portable -inatable A`umbrella comprising a sunbstaritially 'cylindrical casing, means providingiafvalve-'in oneen'd` ofsaid casing, an inflatable-'canopysupported at the opposite end of `said'casing v'and adapted v'to'be folded o'n itselfl andhou'sed within said casing when inla de'ated condition, and a substantially cylindrical 'cover member for enclosing said opposite `end of saidcasing when said canopy is deated and for engaging rsaidoneend of said casingito form an air pumptherewith to force air under pressure through said valve into saidv canopy for inating said canopy to form a dish-like umbrella covering.

4. A portable umbrella comprising a casing, a valve in one end of said casing, `an inatable canopy including a rst pliable sheet of one thickness material and a second pliable sheet of greater thicknessmaterial sealed 'with said rst sheet, the space between said sheets 'forming an airtight chamben'mea'ns supporting said vcanopy Vat the opposite end -of said casing whereby said canopy vis adapted'to be'housedin said casing when in ay deflated conditiongand `a 'cover' member for enclosinglsaid'oppositeend ofsad casing Kwhen 'said canopy is'deflatedr'and Afor engaging said one end of said casing' to forman air pump therewith to'force air through ysaid valve'intothe air chamber of said canopy to form a dish-like umbrella covering.

5. A portable inatable umbrella comprising a hollow casing, means providing a valve in one end of said casing, an inflatable canopy supported at the opposite end of said casing having an openin'gddischarging into the interior of said casing and adapted to beqhoused in said casing when in a deated conditiomanda cover member for enclosing said opposite'r'endofsai'd casing when said canopy is deated and for engaging said one end of said casing to form an air pump therewith to force air throughsai'd valve into said canopy openingfor iniiating said canopy.

6. A portable inflatable umbrella comprising a casing open at one end, means providing a valve in the other end of said casing, an inatable canopy including a pliable sheet of one thickness material having radial rib members and asecondpliablets'heet of greater thicknessmaterialsealed Withsa'idvrst sheet, 'a retainerring seale'dbetween said iir'stand second `sheets andadapted 'to be supported 'at said v'one "end offsai'd "casing, Athe space between said sheets forming an air-'tight chamber, means` providing openings in vsaid second sheet land said 'retainer `ring "discharging into theinterior of said casing, and a 'cover member closed atone 'end and open at the other end and adapted to enclose'sai-d one end of said casing whensaid i canopy'isin a deflated condition 'and stored withinsaid canopy into `a dish-'like umbrella covering.

References Cited in the le of this patent `UNITED STATES PATENTS Solomon Sept. i12, .1939 Bocchino etal May 25, .1954

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